Mystery Of Valentine Day You Should Know
Valentine's Day is almost celebrated around the world with the beloved one, but not few people know the mystery behind Valentine’s Day. As we know Valentine's Day is identical with flowers, chocolates, and romantic dinner. February 14th is considered as a day of love. Ironically, many of us do not know that the day we celebrate love has its dark origin side. The mystery of Valentine's Day can be traced from the Ancient Roman era that relates to the beliefs of paganism (The Idolaters).
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| The mystery of Valentine Days |
In ancient time every February 13-15, the Romans always celebrated the Lupercalia ceremony which began with the sacrifice of two goats and a dog. Then, half-naked men were running down the street whipping up the young girls with bloodstained ropes made from the skin of a sacrificed goat. This custom was still done by the Romans until the year 496 AD as a ritual of purification and fertility. The peak of the Lupercalia ceremony was on February 15 which was done at the foot of the Palatine Hill beside a cave that believed as the place where the female wolf was breastfeeding Romulus and Remus, the founder of Rome in Roman mythology.
As the time passed, the Roman Empire had already begun to abandon the beliefs of paganism and began to embrace Christian belief. Because of that, many old habits were abandoned due to against the teachings of the Christian religion. In 496, Pope Gelasius I forbade the Roman to commemorate the day of Lupercalia and declared February 14 as St. Valentine's Day. There were at least three male figures named Valentine in the 200s AD who died horribly.
One of them was a priest in the Roman Empire who helped Christians who were persecuted during the reign of Claudius II. While in jail, he restored the vision of a blind girl who fell in love with her. The first Valentine beheaded on 14 February. The second Valentine was the pious Bishop of Terni who was also tortured and executed during the reign of Claudius II in the 14th of February in a different year. The third man was named Valentine from Genoa who secretly married a couple who loved each other. Unfortunately, what he did was against the wedding rules which were issued by Claudius II, so he was arrested and ordered.